Eulogy of a Friend
by Kate of Carlay
Summary: A dear fried's departure to the Peaceful Realms is worst than losing a battle. Let those in mounring come together to comfort one another and remeber their fallen frined in their most praise worthy memories.
1. Keladry of Mindelan

**_Author's note:  
_**This is just a quick little piece I did to help battle my horrid writer's block that I'm having for my other story in progress 'The Tormentors' if you haven't read my Assassin Series yet you really should, its really good, well I think it is any way ;D

Please read and review

And there is a poll up to determine the top fic in the TP fandom, please remember to vote, there is a link on my profile to the page :D

I am not Tamora Pierce

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**Chapter 1:  
Passing of the Protector**

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"I'm here to tell you all the great deeds of our fallen comrade." The man looked out over the crowd with his green eyes that were red rimmed from sobbing and his mouth trembled, but his voice was still clear, "But she was so much more than just a comrade, and the honor her great deeds brought her meant little to her." His knuckles turned white as he clenched them on the podium set up on the dais of the chapel. He looked down at the dark wood under his hands to hide the sorrow coursing through him.

**~x~X~x~**

_A tall woman looked through a spy glass on the walkway of the wall . Her mouse brown hair was blown around by the wind and she shoved a lock of it back, away from her face, before bringing the spy glass back up to her eye._

_A raiding party was charging at them. Supplies were already low and their outer forces of soldiers were in the opposite direction but riding hard to get back to them. _

_She handed the spyglass to her friend before she looked up at him with hazel eyes. "I'm heading out," she told him calmly, "Two squads will stay here with you, and I'll take the other with me." _

_He nodded knowing he couldn't convince herr not to go, and had never failed with anything before. _

_She looked over her shoulder and a young boy and girl were already running to her to help her dawn her armor and weapons._

**~x~X~x~**

His eyes opened and his green gaze took in the room around him; knights, squires, men of the King's Own, women of the Queen's Riders, healers, nobles, and even royalty and commoners sat -or stood- together in the over crowded chapel. "She was a leader, a companion, a teacher, a hero." As the last word left his mouth his gaze glazed over like he was lost in another time.

**_~x~X~x~_**

_Metal glinted in the sunlight as the two short columns of soldiers lined up inside the gate. As soon as she gave the signal, they would charge off into battle. Her arm dropped down in a swift motion for the men behind her to move out. The horses they rode were kicked into a trot and the large wooden gate groaned in protest as it was pulled ajar to allow two riders through at a time. _

_He watched them trot out into the open, and into the danger. She was in the lead but he listened to the hooves pounding the hard ground, and watched silently until the barrier was firmly in place protecting the people within its interior._

**~x~X~x~**

"Her deeds were great and small," his voice filled with pride, "She stood up for anyone who couldn't stand up for themselves, or those who feared to do so. She refused to stand down even when the Gods themselves seemed to be against her. She was forced to prove herself to everyone time, and time again but far too many still could not get past their own prejudices." His intense visage stunned some of his audience, for once again, in his brief pause, he sank back into a memory that they could not follow him to.

**~x~X~x~**

_He stood on the wall watching, as the squad of soldiers charged out to meet the oncoming attack. He raised her spy glass to his eye to see how their defenders held out agianst the brutal assault. He watched in horror as the bandits broke the small party in two and attacked with great force._

_She held most of her attackers off with her long, bladed weapon, and fierce determination. Her powerful war horse reared back and to keep the other raiders at bay with his hooves and the color drained from his face and he moved the spy glass aside as he wiped the sweat from his brow before moving the glass lense back up. _

_One man got by her sharp blade, and her gelding's hooves before he shoved his sword deep into the animals chest. The horse fell to the ground and she barely had time to jump off his back and avoid being crushed under the animals weight. _

_She rose from the ground and sliced the man's neck before time began to move desperately slow._

_An arrow sprouted from her thigh, then another in her shoulder, and her body trembled with each impact. Two more arrows flew at her, one making its mark in her abdomen, the other plunging deep into her chest._

**~x~X~x~**

"She gave her life for others and I know she would happily do it again, because she just couldn't understand how much she was worth to all of us." A small, grim smile curled his mouth, "Some days, I think it would have been easier to explain that to a rock, rather than her." Sad chuckles came from the crowd.  
"But she was a true hero, wether she was battling a bully," he said while looking at the young knights who murmurred her praises, "or she was standing up agianst something she thought was wrong." The royalty present nodded in agreement.

He shut his green eyes to force back the onslaught of emotion as he saw the rest of that tragic day unfurl in his mind.

**~x~X~x~**

_Tears blurred his vision as he watched through her spyglass. She fell to a knee before slowly crumbling to the ground. Blood poured from her wounds and soaked her clothing. She placed her empty hand upon the arrow in her chest and saw that the crossbow bolt had hit her directly in her heart. She raised her fingers to her face and was mesmerized by the feeling of finality it held, because she knew there was no hope for her life as it pumped itself out of her her body._

_Her time had come to go to the Peaceful Realms and she would embrace the Black God warmly; she had escaped his merciful grasp too many times already, and she had done her duty--but she still wished she could have done more._

_The hand she had inspected fell to the ground, it was still clenched and covered in the thick red substance. Her head rolled to the side so that she was looking at the weapon that she still had a firm grip on, and smiled gravely at the blood stained blade before her last breath passed through her lips._

**~x~X~x~**

Sir Nealan of Queenscove bowed his head as if in prayer but his voice was full of adoring passion, "She was a proud commander, a Lady Knight, The Protector of the Small, and above all, my best friend. May she remain in all our thoughts with great reverence, and may we carry on her life's duties, to honor the memory of our hero, and dear friend, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan

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A/N: What did you think? PLease tell me in a review. This little piece kinda just hit me in the middle of the night and forced me to write it. I was thinking about doing more for other characters so if you think I should please let me know and if there are any specific characters yoou want to see as well :D

THANKS  
KATE


	2. Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau

**_A/N: Sorry, sorry, I know slow updates but this is one of my things that just hangs around to work on when I can't think of anything for my other story._**

**_Please read and review :D thank you_**

**_I am not Tamora Pierce_****Chapter  
**

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Last Breath of the Lioness

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Swarms of people crowded around. The ceremony had to be moved from the chapel to one of the large banquet halls, and even then people were still forced to stand rather than sit. Dour looks pulled each face tight as he inspected the growing crowd and sighed. His sapphire blue eyes were sad as he mentally prepared himself for what was to come. "A great hero has fallen, and now we must remember her in our hearts as the woman who has shook this very country with her own hands until all that we accepted had been changed." His deep voice boomed across the room as faces looked up from the ground, but his eyes were down cast as he thought about that day.

***--*--***

_The party rode their mounts over the rough terrain. The men-at-arms from Naxen had been dismissed so that they could move more quickly without extra people. She scowled at him from under her riding cloak; she had asked him not to come to the training camp this year, but he demanded to go and visit his wife._

_Her firey red hair framed her violet eyes that scanned the wilderness around them and the squad of the King's Own that surrounded them. Suddenly, a horn call was choked off in the distance, and her head jerked up abruptly. Her eyes darted around to look at her son that was still a green knight and who only had his shield for a little under a year, then that violet gaze landed on him and it hardened. _

_"Fall in!" She yelled. "And hurry!"_

***--*--***

"She didn't just rewrite history for us all, she made history." His voice carried over them again. He looked at the congregation of commoners, nobles, mages, magistrates, and ambassadors. "She was one of the reasons so many young women -common and noble- have so many options. And she didn't even realize what she was doing other than fulfilling her own dreams!"

***--*--***

_The party rode hard trying to move fast over the rugged terrain but a yell ripped through the air and one of the soldiers fell from his horse; a bandit's arrow in his back. "Move!" She screamed over the cries of battle as the enemy fell in on them._

_His hands closed around the hilt of the sword on his hip and he pulled it free to block the oncoming assault from a small battle ax.__He looked over his shoulder and saw his friend and her son back to back, keeping their attackers away with fierce strokes of their own swords._

_His arm flared with pain as another blow from the ax collided with his sword. Horn calls blared from the sentries surrounding them now, all of them were calling for help. Sweat rolled off his brow and stung his eyes, he looked and saw that her son, his godschild, was bleeding immensely and her eyes were wild with fear as she held the attackers away from him, throwing her own body between them and her son._

***--*--***

"She went against all things that were considered 'proper', she has saved my life many times -and then again- without the slightest flutter of an eyelash." He ran a hand over his graying beard as he tried to hide the dour look on his face. "She was a hero, but she was a real person as well, she was devoted to protecting her country, her friends, her ideals, her family," his voice broke in a choked off sob.

***--*--***

_The young man's strawberry blond hair was matted down from sweat as blood pumped out of a gash than ran along his neck and chest. Her eyes burned angrily as she fought the men around her and her son off with her blade and her violet Gift. _

_"No," he mumbled as he broke free from his battel and raced towards them before he saw that one of the men broke through and raised his blade up above the young man's head, "No!" _

_The copper haired woman spun around in one strong motion, plunged her sword deep into the man and wrenched her weapon free of him and slashed it across another's chest. All the while, her lips moved in silent prayer for help to come quickly._

***--*--***

"Noble. Gallant. Courageous. She was easily described with all those words, but more than that, she was loving, and tender, and cherished the simplest of things, such as the warmth of the sun," he told them and a small movement from a group of dark skinned Bazhir guests told him they understood her well. "She was also the one you didn't want toto cross verbal swords with, let alone the more deadly kind." The queen smiled from her place just below the podium as several men sitting nearby grinned broadly.

"But she was also a mother, and wife, and friend to those who looked past the oddities that made her unique." His blue eyes locked on to the hazel ones of one of his friends, sitting off to the side of the room with two young men next to him, one young man with copper locks of hair, the other had strawberry blond strands falling into his tear filled eyes and brushing the scar on his neck.

His blue eyes stayed with his friend as they both privately thought about the last tragic moments of this remarkable woman.

***--*--***

_He rushed towards them both but relief surged through him when he saw a group of Riders galloping hard to drive off the attack from their small party. The bandits were not discouraged though, they fought even more._

_He finally reached his friend and her son but her violet eyes glared at him before he could help defend them, "Heal him," she commanded._

_"Let me--"_

_"Heal him. Now. Please." This time it was a commanding plea that came from her lips and so he did as she told. His blue magic flowed into the young man to heal him and he heard the crash of battle behind him. Then one,_ no two_, he corrected himself, men were yelling at his friend. She was fighting them both off, single handed._

_One of the burly men was about to cut into her friend who was busy with her son. She blocked the blow with a swift strike of her own sword, but saw the smirk on her opponents face._

_Then, pain flowed through her body and warm liquid began spilling from her mouth, staining her lips and face. She looked down and saw the point of a sword protruding from her chest, right where her heart was._

_Realization dawned on her as her body shook with anger at the men that were ripping her from life, but she refused to go alone. She slit the first man's throat in a clean swipe then spun around to see the astonished look on the man's face that had plunged his own weapon into her. She gave him the same fate as she was about to receive and ran her sword through his heart as well before pulling her sword free of his collapsing body._

_She placed her hand upon the blade stick out of her chest and momentarily admired the strong, blood stained metal. She crumbled to the ground with empty eyes, unaware that her friend that was pouring his Gift into her and her son, trying to save them both._

_All she knew for sure was that she had done her part in protecting the crown, and her family. Two things she never would have thought she would have any responsibility for. Yet, her friends, and her family were the last thoughts that fluttered in her mind as her life was handed over to the Black God._

***--*--***

Baron George Cooper nodded at his long time friend, Jonathan IV of Conte the King of Tortall, encouraging him to continue on in the last lines of the speech. Jonathan's voice grew passionate and increased in volume as he spoke his final words, "She was 'Alan', she was 'The Woman that Rides like a Man', 'The Burning Brightly One', she was our hero The Lioness, but she was our dear friend and first Lady Knight on over a century, may her memories and deeds continue to inspire our progression, and may we always cherish the memories of Lady Knight Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, _The Lioness!"_

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**A/N: What did you think? Have any comments? I'll take 'em, or if you have any particular character or situation you want to see, let em know and I'll probably get it done pretty quickly. **

**THANKS  
KATE**


	3. Veralidaine Salamin

**_Author's Note: Sorry for the length between updates, I kinda got attacked by the plot of my other story The Tormentors part of my Assassin Series, if you havent rad that you really should, great series but my favorite will always be The Shadow._**

**_Anyway Sorry if this isn't the best of these because I just don;t like Daine or Numair, I'm sorry, I don't know why I just don;t so its difficult for me to write those._**

**_Up next will be Aly so don't forget to leave some encouragement aka reviews ;D_**

**_I am not Tamora Pierce_**

**_

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_**

Last Wish of the Wild Mage

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His dark eyes scanned the area and he smiled grimly to himself. This was no ordinary ceremonious gathering of people, this was a gathering friends and family of all shapes and sizes. The chapels and banquet halls would not do for this meeting. This was an event fit for the daughter of the God of the Hunt. The people were crowded around benches and standing around in the open field but what was the most odd about this was the animals. All of them were as sad as the the humans. People -two and four legged- came together for their beloved friend.

He cleared his throat and looked out over the gathering with dark eyes."Friends,"he proclaimed, "we have come to honor the memory of our dear one!"

**--^)(^--**

_The message had just gotten to them, the army in the southern dessert was about to be ambushed. There was no time to get the message to them any had to send her. There was no other choice._

_She wrapped her arms around her two young children and kissed them both on the head, "I'll be home soon." The children knew their mother had to perform many of these tasks and were used to them yet they still threw their small trembling arms around her neck and cried into her shoulders as she whispered reassurances into their hair._

_The children were pulled away by her husband and set down on the floor. He enveloped her in a strong embrace because he knew the risks of this mission and could barely allow her to leave his arms. She kissed her husband warmly and held him closely to her before she stepped outside onto the balcony and shifted into the form of a small and speedy bird._

_The agile bird launched herself out into the day, she had mere hours to reach the southern desert and then it was up to those who would use the information, or hundreds would die._

**--^)(^--**

His dark hair was pulled back tightly as his eyesd drifted over the crowd. He took a deep but unsteady breath. "She wanted so much for everyone, she was willing to help everyone, no matter how big or small. She was loved by everyone in this room, undeniably."

**--^)(^--**

_Her wings pounded the air as she flew south, this was more than the body of this small bird should have been able to do and yet she had to help the country she has called home for so long. It wasn't just the country that she needed to help, it was it's monarchs, her friends within the borders, her children, her husband, her adoptive family, and all of it was within this country's borders._

_The land passed beneath her quickly as it turned into the dry desert and her small wings were beating the air ferociously. She was coming up to the edges of the scouts, she could see them wandering below her but she also saw the ambush party preparing to come in in on them. The attacking group would wipe the company out. There was no way around it._

_She flew down as soon as she saw the commanding officers. Shifting her head to that of a human she spoke quickly of the upcoming danger. Before they could even speak to her she was off the ground and flying towards the nearest camp where reinforcements were available. A smaller party of the large ambushing foes saw her. They could have thought she was no more than a normal bird, but they had heard of her. They kicked their horses into a gallop and began to chase her while raising their bows._

**--^)(^--**

His eyes began to pool with tears as he thought about all that he had witnessed in his scrying mirror and shooing his children away that day. "She had pulled herself out of a world that thought she was mad. She made a life for herself that made her happy even if she could have easily had more. She was all that anyone could have ever wanted. She was a friend for those who had none, a voice for those who couldn't speak, the new life in old times."

**--^)(^--**

_Her wings beat as fast as ever as she looked down on the camp that was not too far away from her original mission. The commanders were leisurely preparing to ride out. Then, she felt the wind blow past her as an arrow flew by. Then another. Soon the entire group that had been chasing her were loosing arrows as she closed in on the commanders. As soon as the army saw the arrows they were preparing for a fight and getting ready to apprehend the attackers._

_An arrow ripped through her wing and she began to fall to the earth she flapped her uninjured wing with more vigor than ever, ignoring the pain coming from the blood covered side of her body. More arrows flew but this time they were aimed at her attackers, not her._

_Her end was coming, she knew it. There was no way to deny it unless she reached her destination in time, but even that wouldn't help. She hit the ground hard, breaking bones in her landing as the commanders ran up beside her with shock on their faces. She fell out of her animal form, and was spawled across the ground gasping for breath as her bare arm and back dripped with blood. "You're needed north from here five miles, another company will be slaughtered without you--"She gasped in pain as she felt another arrow get past the soldiers and bury itself in her back._

_It was too much. She could take no more. She would miss them all, but it was time to go and see the one god she shouldn't be afraid of but was. She one she was not directly related to, nor had any quarrels with; The Black God. She knew she should have argued with herself about being to young to die, too much in love, not having enough time with her children. But she had done what she had set out to do. She had created a better life for herself, her children, and for others. She had been happy and loved. Not feared, but understood. Not treated like an outcast but brought in like part of a family. But most importantly to her, she died for the ones she loved, and she made one final prayer to the Great Mother Goddess, her "Keep them safe."_

**--^)(^--**

Numair Salamin remembered his wife, the mother of his children, with great reverence as he spoke just loud enough for everyone to hear, "She was a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an aunt, my magelet, the Wild Mage, Veralidaine Salamin."

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**_A/N: Once again, sorry its not the best of these but there you have it :D_**

**_Thanks for reading  
KATE_**


	4. Alianne Crow of Pirate's Swoop

**_Author's Note: VERY sorry that it took me so long to update this but this will be the last chapter of these so I hope you all enjoy them!_**

**_I am not Tamora Pierce_**

**_

* * *

Death of the Duani_**

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"We have come together in this time of despair to honor our dear loved one." The small, raka woman's voice was raspy from crying. She looked at the small gathering of people in the the private courtyard. "She came to us in odd way, but it only seemed right to fit her her personality." Her sad eyes looked over the group as she blinked away tears.

*(~)*

__

They had been looking into the reports of rebellions and had moved to a southern island to begin their grand progress. They thought it was safe, despite her warnings. They had thought wrong.

A woman with strawberry blonde hair and green hazel eyes burst into her friend's study. Her brows pulled together as she saw her short friend sitting behind the desk.

"Your majesty," she said frantically, "we have to hurry. Come on!" The blonde woman grabbed her friend's dark hand and pulled her out of the room. They jogged down the hall, fleeing the yelling and soun ds of battle behind them.

*(~)*

"It will take us a while to stop setting out her cup of juice instead of arak at our meetings. We always thought of her as too smart for her own good, but she claimed to be as plain as dirt." A few people chuckled in the crowd.

She opened her eyes and looked out into the room at her friends. Advisers that were once servants. Old laurin nobility sat quietly with their heads bowed in reverence. New Raka Nobility looked up at their promised one. She let her eyes wander to her deceased friend's pack and she smiled grimly at all the different people that were close to her friend. Until her eyes landed on a small family in the corner of the room.

"But we could never call her plain, she was a teacher, a protector, a fighter, a mother and wife to her family, to this country she was our forwarning, but to me, she was a friend, a true one."She choked back a sob seeing the tears falling from her godschildren's eyes.

*(~)*

__

Her friend pulled her through the halls, avoiding as much chaos as people threw knives and loosed arrows. All of them were heading towards her chest. The blonde fought through it all, her silver daggers were a blur in the air around her as enemies of the crown fell at her feet and blood flowed over the dark wooden floors.

They both pushed on, into the higher levels of this small castle. They were going to the towers and the dark haired woman knew what her friend was planning, but could b arely form words of protest.

*(~)*

"She gave up so much for all of us, for our newborn country in its fragile state." Her dark eyes filled with courage thinking of her friend. She looked up and past them all. "She rose in the ranks of this country, going from a foreign slave, to one of the most respected advisers to the queen, and she clawed her way through that on her own, not doing it for glory or power but for the honest reason like everyone else. For the people." Her voice grew in strength and volume as she tilted her head up and no one dared to doubt the emotion and pride in her voice or eyes as she thought about that awful day.

*(~)*

_The dark haired woman was pulled into the room by another set of hands. As she was yanked into the room she saw who was puling her, a lean man that had raven black hair and well tanned skin. The blonde woman shoved the door back into place._

_"You all have to go." The woman's green hazel eyes glared at them. "_Now_!"_

_The raka woman looked around the room and saw three children huddling close together by the door that led out onto a balcony overlooking the sea. Outside on the stone balcony stood a kudarung, waiting patiently._

_"We can't leave you, I can't," the man told his wife passionately._

_"Neither can I," the woman told her friend._

_"You both can, and will," The blonde told them fiercely, her friend thought that the voice she used reminded her of her friend's mother. "Now go!"She shoved them both towards the balcony wall._

_"For them," she said as she grabbed her husband's neck and pulled him down into an emotional kiss before releasing him and murmuring, "I love you. Take care of them, and yourself."_

_She looked down on her three children and gave them each and tight hug and a kiss on top of their heads."Mind your father," she warned them all before squeezing her eyes shut and and wrapping all three of them in her arms."I love you all very much._

_Finally the woman turned to look at her friend. They embraced each other before she pushed the younger woman out and helped her mount the kudarung. "Be safe, Its been wonderful serving you, you've been a true friend, possibly the best."_

_Before the raka woman could reply, the kudarung took flight, taking her away from the sight below her. She looked back and saw the four crows flying around her and then she screamed when she saw that a man had come into the door and her friend was fighting to latch the door and stay alive._

*(~)*

"She protected the nation's information, and uncovered other secrets that we needed to know. She was like an elder sister to me when I needed one and mine was an ocean away." The woman's knuckles turned white as she clenched them at her sides."She gave her life up for me, for her husband, for her _children_!" A sob broke free from her throat and tears leaked out of her eyes, leaving wet trails over her dark cheeks.

*(~)*

__

The woman shoved the door closed behind the man, keeping another out. She bolted it and felt the blow on her head as she heard a scream pierce the air. Her green hazel eyes focused on the man in front of her as she threw a dagger and it sliced across his neck, but not doing enough damage to kill him.

She threw herself at him next grabbing around his throat with one arm, reaching for another dagger with her free arm. He threw her to the ground and raced out onto the balcony.

The man saw the direction that the kudarung was heading and turned to face the door."She's going--"

"No!" the woman yelled to prevent anyone from hearing where her friend was going. She ran at the man with her knife pulled out and he grabbed her by the neck. He picked her up off the ground and held her out over the edge of the balcony. She pulled her blade back to throw at him while gripping his arm with the other.

She had to decide; live or die, but the decision was going to be one and the same for both of them.

She shoved the blade into his throat. Blood bubbled out from his mouth and he pulled the knife out and managed to put a thin slice in her throat before dropping her and falling to the floor of the balcony.

The strawberry blonde woman twisted in the air, unable to form a scream in her poorly slit throat. Everything was ending for her. She had a loving husband, three beautiful children, and it was all being ripped away from her. She couldn't help but wish that she had spent more time having fun with them, then a small chuckle broke free of her mouth at the irony of the thought.

A crow's loud cry broke the silence in the air as one of the four birds flying around the kudarung dove through the air towards the dying woman. The black hero's flight was useless though as her lifeless body fell into the sea below, as her soul broke free of her body she had to smile, no one would ever no where her body was laid to rest except for the god that favored her.

*(~)*

Queen Dovesary Balitang looked through her tears at the man that tried to be with his wife in her final moments but Nawat Crow was holding his three children around him.

"She was the luarin rebel, our spy, The Cunning One, The Duani, and much, much more. She will always be loved by us all and will be remembered greatly for being expected to do the unexpected. May we all carry the memory of her close to hearts and cherish the fun times we had with our dear friend, Alianne Crow of Pirate's Swoop."

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_**"The bittersweet tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." -Harriet Beecher Stowe**_

_A/N: There was the ending quote for this little piece. Remember to tell me what you think! I hope you all enjoyed it, if not tell me why :D_

_~Kate of Carlay~_


	5. Rebeka Cooper

**_Author's Note: Yeah, its been a while, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, and I get distracted and I forgot about Beka when I started doing these. Sorry if this one sucks compared to the others but I don't think I write Beka's time period very well._**

**_If you get bored after reading this, don't forget to review and then go check out my latest "Journey of a Lifetime" it focuses around Kel's life after Lady Knight. Its a good quick read, only 1500 words total. all 25 chapters told in 100 word drabbles._**

**_I am not Tamora Pierce_**

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**_The Guard is Gone_**

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"We are here to remember one of our own." The woman looked over the small group of people in front of her with her somber brown eyes that could glare with great ferocity. "She was one of the best." The praise came out of her mouth more easily than any had ever come. To receive compliments from her was not an easy task but for this one person, it was well deserved. She bent her head, a stray brown lock falling in front of her face as she tried to ignore the tears that started to form in her eyes.

----^----

__

The brawl had broke out before they had known there was even a spark of tension. Two men and their friends had argument over a game of Gambler's Chance while the two Dogs and their puppy were eating their suppers.

The two dogs sighed as a men hit their table with a bleeding lip and jumped back into the ruckus.

She rose to her feet, gripping her baton and stepping towards the fight, giving the nearest fighter a nap tap with perfect precision, the man fell to the floor as his eyes rolled partner followed behind her, telling the puppy to stay close and not get killed.

----^----

Swallowing hard, she looked around around the congregation of people of every class of citizens. There were nobles in their fine silk and velvet, the Lord Magistrate who always was find of the young dog. The deceased dog's friends in Rogue were present as well, including the king and queen themselves, all with harsh lines of sorrow on their faces. The Rogue's black eyes flashed towards the large group of Provost Guards, waiting for them to arrest him for what he did, but none of them wanted to admit that they were grateful for what he did to her murderer, even if it proved he could get into their cages.

----^----

__

The dogs pushed back every brawler that tried to to take out their anger on them that night. tankards and chair both flew through the air as tables broke beneath men's bodies being piled on them.

Each time she tied up one culprit, two more seemed to take their places. Her hands worked fast as her tall, owl-like partner smashed skulls together and they both kept an eye on the eager young dog.

"Where did that young 'un get to now?" her partner asked while grabbing a chair in mid-swing. "Can't stay out of trouble fer a minute. Lot like you," he grunted and dodged a drunken punch.

She shook her head. "She's got our backs..

"Not really reassuring," he chuckled and ducked again.

----^----

"Even as a Puppy I could trust her to watch my back." The woman's brown eyes had a small twinkle in them as she remembered her one time trainee. "She always knew when to keep her mouth shut, it was speaking up that she had problems with."

The lord magistrate and a few others chuckled in the crowd.

"But when it came time to work, she put her whole self into it." The woman grinned at the crowd, "She brought down the biggest, chasing the queen rat through Port Caynn sewers, and I think she even wanted to hobble our own Rogue a few times." A tiny smiled tugged on the blond Scanran in the front of the room.

"But her turf was the lower city. The people, the businesses, everyhting in the lower city. SHe wanted to protect it all. She'd sniff out anything amiss, and then she wouldn't let go once she got her teeth in it."

----^----

__

The brawl was almost put down, back up had come and now most the fighters were hobbled and the inn was crawling with dogs.

"Where'd she get to now?" she asked her tall partner.

"I---there!" the man pointed out the door where their puppy was sprinting down the street after one of the brawlers.

"Pox rot her," she cursed and sprinted out the door ignoring her partner's yell for her to wait.

She ran after the young puppy that wanted to be just like her but often was getting into trouble for her efforts.

The night was closing in on her as her breathing burned her throat as she ran through the streets that she knew from her days as a message runner. She also knew that the rat was running right towards a dead end.

She saw them, her puppy and her rat both in fighting stances, half hidden in the shadows. She didn't want to have a puppy die on her, not her first one.

She ran at rat, baton raised, but he shifted as she got within striking distance and she then saw what was in his hand hidden in the shadows; a knife.

The blade sliced her belly open, her blood pouring out and every thing else poisoning her blood inside. Before she fell to the ground, she delivered one final nap tap, dropping the rat to the ground with her.

Curling into a ball on the ground, she barely understood her puupy's shrieks and whistling, calling for dogs.

She simply looked at the nicked and worn baton in her hand. Solid and strong, it had never touched a rat's blood before, most of her uses of the baton resulted in broken bones, bruises, and such but it never ripped flesh. Now, her symbol of pride, her baton and black uniform, had rusty liquid soaking into them, and her blood would leave her mark in these items forever.

Sighing, she closed her eyes, allowing death to come, she had brought many to justice in her life for the fate of theirs. It was time for the black god to do the same for her.

----^----

Sergeant Clara Goodwin looked out over the crowd, a single tear finally leaking out of her brown eyes but true compassion echoed in her voice. She was a true terrier and the best bloodhound of the kennel, curse any of you who deny it." A fierce glare lowered itself onto the crowd. "She was The Provost's Guard of the Lower City, my own puppy. The world would be a better place if we all had her determination and loyalty live on through us all," she said with a growl of sorrow present in her voice and she slammed a fist on the podium in front of her. "Let's hear it for one of the best, Guardswoman Rebeka Cooper!"

* * *

**_A/N: Once again I'm sorry if it turned out wrong but I liked it. Don't forget to hit the little review button below, flames or praise I'll take both :D_**

**_Thanks for reading!  
~Kate of Carlay~_**


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